System and method for playing a game

ABSTRACT

A host server is configured to receive and process a website address request from a remote client via a global network. A webpage interface module of the host server, is configured to receive and process a game application download request from the remote client via the global network. A first user may load the installed interactive game software on a first remote client to run an interactive game application. The first user may also enter sign-in information in the interactive game application to gain access to features and functionalities of the interactive game application. The first user may send a second user information and an invite request to the host server. The second user, using a second remote client, may accept a game with the first user, using the first remote client, with an interactive game application running on the second remote client.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present Utility patent application claims priority benefit of theU.S. provisional application for patent Ser. No. 62/231,633 entitled“INTERACTIVE COMPATIBILITY GAME APPLICATION”, filed on 13 JUL. 2015under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) and U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No.15/209,564 entitled “A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLAYING A GAME”, filed on13 JUL. 2016 under 35 USC 111(a). The contents of these relatedprovisional and patent applications are incorporated herein by referencefor all purposes to the extent that such subject matter is notinconsistent herewith or limiting hereof.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection by the author thereof. Thecopyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyoneof the patent document or patent disclosure for the purposes ofreferencing as patent prior art, as it appears in the Patent andTrademark Office, patent file or records, but otherwise reserves allcopyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE RELEVANT PRIOR ART

One or more embodiments of the invention generally relate to a softwaregame application. More particularly, certain embodiments of theinvention relate to an interactive software game application and systemthereof.

The following background information may present examples of specificaspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts,or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educatethe reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to beconstrued as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof,to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.

It may be contemplated that compatibility games have been in use foryears. Typically, conventional compatibility games may comprise boardgames, card games, computer games and dating websites. The following isan example of a specific aspect in the prior art that, while expected tobe helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of theprior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, orany embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein orinferred thereupon. By way of educational background, another aspect ofthe prior art generally useful to be aware of is that with conventionalcompatibility games, individuals may be seeking a dating partner or lifepartner (including members of dating websites), wherein the individualsusually may only disclose basic personal information (e.g. height, eyecolor, ethnicity, likes, dislikes, etc.) to others in the initial stageof meeting. Thus, when a member of a dating website or those seeking apartner, may find a potential dating candidate, the initial conversationmay typically be shallow or superficial because it is believed that mostindividuals may not know the right questions to ask or may beapprehensive in asking. In other conventional compatibility games, boardgames and/or card games may be utilized and may require players to playthe game in a same location. Furthermore, those seeking a dating partneror potential mate may meet individuals they may not know (strangers),and it is believed that meeting someone in person, to get to know them,may not always be comfortable, safe or feasible. Moreover, it isbelieved that some individuals may not feel comfortable answeringpersonal questions in the presence of other individuals, therefore, itis further contemplated that when playing in person, it may be difficultto tell someone you don't want to see them again if you're notinterested in them.

In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniquesare not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by wayof limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in whichlike reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary game system architecture of aninteractive game application embodiment, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary software module architecture of aninteractive game application embodiment, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary software module diagram of aninteractive game application embodiment, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary software processingflowchart of an interactive game application embodiment, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 4A illustrates astart of the processing and FIG. 4B illustrates an end thereof;

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary user sign-in method of anembodiment of an interactive game application, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary interactive compatibilitygame application session, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7A illustrates an exemplary first remote user starting aninteractive game application session embodiment, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7B illustrates an exemplary second remote user responding to anexemplary invite message of an interactive game application sessionembodiment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7C illustrates an exemplary first and second remote users viewingan exemplary first portion of data in an interactive game applicationsession embodiment, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7D illustrates an exemplary first and second remote users viewingan exemplary second portion of data in an interactive game applicationsession embodiment, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7E illustrates an exemplary first and second remote users viewingexemplary forwarded selections in an interactive game applicationsession embodiment, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7F illustrates an exemplary first and second remote users viewingan exemplary third portion of data in an interactive game applicationsession embodiment, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7G illustrates an exemplary first and second remote users viewingan exemplary fourth portion of data in an interactive game applicationsession embodiment, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7H illustrates an exemplary first and second remote userscontinuing an exemplary interactive game application session embodiment,in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram depicting an exemplary client/serversystem which may be used by an exemplary web-enabled/networkedembodiment of the present invention.

Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are notnecessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is best understood by reference to the detailedfigures and description set forth herein.

Embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to theFigures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate thatthe detailed description given herein with respect to these figures isfor explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limitedembodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that those skilled inthe art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention,recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, dependingupon the needs of the particular application, to implement thefunctionality of any given detail described herein, beyond theparticular implementation choices in the following embodiments describedand shown. That is, there are modifications and variations of theinvention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within thescope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as pluraland vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, whereappropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply thatthe two are mutually exclusive.

It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limitedto the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturingtechniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary.It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used forthe purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is notintended to limit the scope of the present invention. It must be notedthat as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearlydictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” is areference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof knownto those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a referenceto “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or meansand may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions usedare to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, theword “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical“or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the contextclearly necessitates otherwise. Structures described herein are to beunderstood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures.Language that may be construed to express approximation should be sounderstood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

All words of approximation as used in the present disclosure and claimsshould be construed to mean “approximate,” rather than “perfect,” andmay accordingly be employed as a meaningful modifier to any other word,specified parameter, quantity, quality, or concept. Words ofapproximation, include, yet are not limited to terms such as“substantial”, “nearly”, “almost”, “about”, “generally”, “largely”,“essentially”, “closely approximate”, etc.

As will be established in some detail below, it is well settle law, asearly as 1939, that words of approximation are not indefinite in theclaims even when such limits are not defined or specified in thespecification.

For example, see Ex parte Mallory, 52 USPQ 297, 297 (Pat. Off. Bd. App.1941) where the court said “The examiner has held that most of theclaims are inaccurate because apparently the laminar film will not beentirely eliminated. The claims specify that the film is “substantially”eliminated and for the intended purpose, it is believed that the slightportion of the film which may remain is negligible. We are of the view,therefore, that the claims may be regarded as sufficiently accurate.”

Note that claims need only “reasonably apprise those skilled in the art”as to their scope to satisfy the definiteness requirement. See EnergyAbsorption Sys., Inc. v. Roadway Safety Servs., Inc., Civ. App. 96-1264,slip op. at 10 (Fed. Cir. Jul. 3, 1997) (unpublished) Hybridtech v.Monoclonal Antibodies, Inc., 802 F.2d 1367, 1385, 231 USPQ 81, 94 (Fed.Cir. 1986), cert. denied, 480 U.S. 947 (1987). In addition, the use ofmodifiers in the claim, like “generally” and “substantial,” does not byitself render the claims indefinite. See Seattle Box Co. v. IndustrialCrating & Packing, Inc., 731 F.2d 818, 828-29, 221 USPQ 568, 575-76(Fed. Cir. 1984).

Moreover, the ordinary and customary meaning of terms like“substantially” includes “reasonably close to: nearly, almost, about”,connoting a term of approximation. See In re Frye, Appeal No.2009-006013, 94 USPQ2d 1072, 1077, 2010 WL 889747 (B.P.A.I. 2010)Depending on its usage, the word “substantially” can denote eitherlanguage of approximation or language of magnitude. Deering PrecisionInstruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distribution Sys., Inc., 347 F.3d 1314,1323 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (recognizing the “dual ordinary meaning of th[e]term [“substantially”] as connoting a term of approximation or a term ofmagnitude”). Here, when referring to the “substantially halfway”limitation, the Specification uses the word “approximately” as asubstitute for the word “substantially” (Fact 4). (Fact 4). The ordinarymeaning of “substantially halfway” is thus reasonably close to or nearlyat the midpoint between the forwardmost point of the upper or outsoleand the rearwardmost point of the upper or outsole.

Similarly, the term ‘substantially’ is well recognize in case law tohave the dual ordinary meaning of connoting a term of approximation or aterm of magnitude. See Dana Corp. v. American Axle & Manufacturing,Inc., Civ. App. 04-1116, 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 18265, *13-14 (Fed. Cir.Aug. 27, 2004) (unpublished). The term “substantially” is commonly usedby claim drafters to indicate approximation. See Cordis Corp. v.Medtronic AVE Inc., 339 F.3d 1352, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (“The patentsdo not set out any numerical standard by which to determine whether thethickness of the wall surface is ‘substantially uniform.’ The term‘substantially,’ as used in this context, denotes approximation. Thus,the walls must be of largely or approximately uniform thickness.”); seealso Deering Precision Instruments, LLC v. Vector Distribution Sys.,Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 1322 (Fed. Cir. 2003); Epcon Gas Sys., Inc. v.Bauer Compressors, Inc., 279 F.3d 1022, 1031 (Fed. Cir. 2002). We findthat the term “substantially” was used in just such a manner in theclaims of the patents-in-suit: “substantially uniform wall thickness”denotes a wall thickness with approximate uniformity.

It should also be noted that such words of approximation as contemplatedin the foregoing clearly limits the scope of claims such as saying‘generally parallel’ such that the adverb ‘generally’ does not broadenthe meaning of parallel. Accordingly, it is well settled that such wordsof approximation as contemplated in the foregoing (e.g., like the phrase‘generally parallel’) envisions some amount of deviation from perfection(e.g., not exactly parallel), and that such words of approximation ascontemplated in the foregoing are descriptive terms commonly used inpatent claims to avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specifiedparameter. To the extent that the plain language of the claims relyingon such words of approximation as contemplated in the foregoing areclear and uncontradicted by anything in the written description hereinor the figures thereof, it is improper to rely upon the present writtendescription, the figures, or the prosecution history to add limitationsto any of the claim of the present invention with respect to such wordsof approximation as contemplated in the foregoing. That is, under suchcircumstances, relying on the written description and prosecutionhistory to reject the ordinary and customary meanings of the wordsthemselves is impermissible. See, for example, Liquid Dynamics Corp. v.Vaughan Co., 355 F.3d 1361, 69 USPQ2d 1595, 1600-01 (Fed. Cir. 2004).The plain language of phrase 2 requires a “substantial helical flow.”The term “substantial” is a meaningful modifier implying “approximate,”rather than “perfect.” In Cordis Corp. v. Medtronic AVE, Inc., 339 F.3d1352, 1361 (Fed. Cir. 2003), the district court imposed a precisenumeric constraint on the term “substantially uniform thickness.” Wenoted that the proper interpretation of this term was “of largely orapproximately uniform thickness” unless something in the prosecutionhistory imposed the “clear and unmistakable disclaimer” needed fornarrowing beyond this simple-language interpretation. Id. In Anchor WallSystems v. Rockwood Retaining Walls, Inc., 340 F.3d 1298, 1311 (Fed.Cir. 2003)” Id. at 1311. Similarly, the plain language of claim 1requires neither a perfectly helical flow nor a flow that returnsprecisely to the center after one rotation (a limitation that arisesonly as a logical consequence of requiring a perfectly helical flow).

The reader should appreciate that case law generally recognizes a dualordinary meaning of such words of approximation, as contemplated in theforegoing, as connoting a term of approximation or a term of magnitude;e.g., see Deering Precision Instruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distrib. Sys.,Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 68 USPQ2d 1716, 1721 (Fed. Cir. 2003), cert.denied, 124 S. Ct. 1426 (2004) where the court was asked to construe themeaning of the term “substantially” in a patent claim. Also see Epcon,279 F.3d at 1031 (“The phrase ‘substantially constant’ denotes languageof approximation, while the phrase ‘substantially below’ signifieslanguage of magnitude, i.e., not insubstantial.”). Also, see, e.g.,Epcon Gas Sys., Inc. v. Bauer Compressors, Inc., 279 F.3d 1022 (Fed.Cir. 2002) (construing the terms “substantially constant” and“substantially below”); Zodiac Pool Care, Inc. v. Hoffinger Indus.,Inc., 206 F.3d 1408 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (construing the term “substantiallyinward”); York Prods., Inc. v. Cent. Tractor Farm & Family Ctr., 99 F.3d1568 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (construing the term “substantially the entireheight thereof”); Tex. Instruments Inc. v. Cypress Semiconductor Corp.,90 F.3d 1558 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (construing the term “substantially in thecommon plane”). In conducting their analysis, the court instructed tobegin with the ordinary meaning of the claim terms to one of ordinaryskill in the art. Prima Tek, 318 F.3d at 1148. Reference to dictionariesand our cases indicates that the term “substantially” has numerousordinary meanings. As the district court stated, “substantially” canmean “significantly” or “considerably.” The term “substantially” canalso mean “largely” or “essentially.” Webster's New 20th CenturyDictionary 1817 (1983).

Words of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, may also beused in phrases establishing approximate ranges or limits, where the endpoints are inclusive and approximate, not perfect; e.g., see AK SteelCorp. v. Sollac, 344 F.3d 1234, 68 USPQ2d 1280, 1285 (Fed. Cir. 2003)where it where the court said [W]e conclude that the ordinary meaning ofthe phrase “up to about 10%” includes the “about 10%” endpoint. Aspointed out by AK Steel, when an object of the preposition “up to” isnonnumeric, the most natural meaning is to exclude the object (e.g.,painting the wall up to the door). On the other hand, as pointed out bySollac, when the object is a numerical limit, the normal meaning is toinclude that upper numerical limit (e.g., counting up to ten, seatingcapacity for up to seven passengers). Because we have here a numericallimit—“about 10%”—the ordinary meaning is that that endpoint isincluded.

In the present specification and claims, a goal of employment of suchwords of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, is to avoid astrict numerical boundary to the modified specified parameter, assanctioned by Pall Corp. v. Micron Separations, Inc., 66 F.3d 1211,1217, 36 USPQ2d 1225, 1229 (Fed. Cir. 1995) where it states “It is wellestablished that when the term “substantially” serves reasonably todescribe the subject matter so that its scope would be understood bypersons in the field of the invention, and to distinguish the claimedsubject matter from the prior art, it is not indefinite.” Likewise seeVerve LLC v. Crane Cams Inc., 311 F.3d 1116, 65 USPQ2d 1051, 1054 (Fed.Cir. 2002). Expressions such as “substantially” are used in patentdocuments when warranted by the nature of the invention, in order toaccommodate the minor variations that may be appropriate to secure theinvention. Such usage may well satisfy the charge to “particularly pointout and distinctly claim” the invention, 35 U.S.C. § 112, and indeed maybe necessary in order to provide the inventor with the benefit of hisinvention. In Andrew Corp. v. Gabriel Elecs. Inc., 847 F.2d 819, 821-22,6 USPQ2d 2010, 2013 (Fed. Cir. 1988) the court explained that usagessuch as “substantially equal” and “closely approximate” may serve todescribe the invention with precision appropriate to the technology andwithout intruding on the prior art. The court again explained in EcolabInc. v. Envirochem, Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 1367, 60 USPQ2d 1173, 1179(Fed. Cir. 2001) that “like the term ‘about,’ the term ‘substantially’is a descriptive term commonly used in patent claims to ‘avoid a strictnumerical boundary to the specified parameter, see Ecolab Inc. v.Envirochem Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 60 USPQ2d 1173, 1179 (Fed. Cir. 2001)where the court found that the use of the term “substantially” to modifythe term “uniform” does not render this phrase so unclear such thatthere is no means by which to ascertain the claim scope.

Similarly, other courts have noted that like the term “about,” the term“substantially” is a descriptive term commonly used in patent claims to“avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter.”; e.g.,see Pall Corp. v. Micron Seps., 66 F.3d 1211, 1217, 36 USPQ2d 1225, 1229(Fed. Cir. 1995); see, e.g., Andrew Corp. v. Gabriel Elecs. Inc., 847F.2d 819, 821-22, 6 USPQ2d 2010, 2013 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (noting thatterms such as “approach each other,” “close to,” “substantially equal,”and “closely approximate” are ubiquitously used in patent claims andthat such usages, when serving reasonably to describe the claimedsubject matter to those of skill in the field of the invention, and todistinguish the claimed subject matter from the prior art, have beenaccepted in patent examination and upheld by the courts). In this case,“substantially” avoids the strict 100% nonuniformity boundary.

Indeed, the foregoing sanctioning of such words of approximation, ascontemplated in the foregoing, has been established as early as 1939,see Ex parte Mallory, 52 USPQ 297, 297 (Pat. Off. Bd. App. 1941) where,for example, the court said “the claims specify that the film is“substantially” eliminated and for the intended purpose, it is believedthat the slight portion of the film which may remain is negligible. Weare of the view, therefore, that the claims may be regarded assufficiently accurate.” Similarly, In re Hutchison, 104 F.2d 829, 42USPQ 90, 93 (C.C.P.A. 1939) the court said “It is realized that“substantial distance” is a relative and somewhat indefinite term, orphrase, but terms and phrases of this character are not uncommon inpatents in cases where, according to the art involved, the meaning canbe determined with reasonable clearness.”

Hence, for at least the forgoing reason, Applicants submit that it isimproper for any examiner to hold as indefinite any claims of thepresent patent that employ any words of approximation.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skillin the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods,techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods,techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to thosedescribed herein may be used in the practice or testing of the presentinvention. Structures described herein are to be understood also torefer to functional equivalents of such structures. The presentinvention will be described in detail below with reference toembodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

References to a “device,” an “apparatus,” a “system,” etc., in thepreamble of a claim should be construed broadly to mean “any structuremeeting the claim terms” exempt for any specific structure(s)/type(s)that has/(have) been explicitly disavowed or excluded oradmitted/implied as prior art in the present specification or incapableof enabling an object/aspect/goal of the invention. Furthermore, wherethe present specification discloses an object, aspect, function, goal,result, or advantage of the invention that a specific prior artstructure and/or method step is similarly capable of performing yet in avery different way, the present invention disclosure is intended to andshall also implicitly include and cover additional correspondingalternative embodiments that are otherwise identical to that explicitlydisclosed except that they exclude such prior art structure(s)/step(s),and shall accordingly be deemed as providing sufficient disclosure tosupport a corresponding negative limitation in a claim claiming suchalternative embodiment(s), which exclude such very different prior artstructure(s)/step(s) way(s).

From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modificationswill be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such variations andmodifications may involve equivalent and other features which arealready known in the art, and which may be used instead of or inaddition to features already described herein.

Although Claims have been formulated in this Application to particularcombinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of thedisclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature orany novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly orimplicitly or any generalization thereof, whether or not it relates tothe same invention as presently claimed in any Claim and whether or notit mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does thepresent invention.

Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments mayalso be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely,various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of asingle embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitablesubcombination. The Applicants hereby give notice that new Claims may beformulated to such features and/or combinations of such features duringthe prosecution of the present Application or of any further Applicationderived therefrom.

References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,”“various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “embodiments of theinvention,” etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the inventionso described may include a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic, but not every possible embodiment of the inventionnecessarily includes the particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,”or “in an exemplary embodiment,” “an embodiment,” do not necessarilyrefer to the same embodiment, although they may. Moreover, any use ofphrases like “embodiments” in connection with “the invention” are nevermeant to characterize that all embodiments of the invention must includethe particular feature, structure, or characteristic, and should insteadbe understood to mean “at least some embodiments of the invention”includes the stated particular feature, structure, or characteristic.

References to “user”, or any similar term, as used herein, may mean ahuman or non-human user thereof. Moreover, “user”, or any similar term,as used herein, unless expressly stipulated otherwise, is contemplatedto mean users at any stage of the usage process, to include, withoutlimitation, direct user(s), intermediate user(s), indirect user(s), andend user(s). The meaning of “user”, or any similar term, as used herein,should not be otherwise inferred or induced by any pattern(s) ofdescription, embodiments, examples, or referenced prior-art that may (ormay not) be provided in the present patent.

References to “end user”, or any similar term, as used herein, isgenerally intended to mean late stage user(s) as opposed to early stageuser(s). Hence, it is contemplated that there may be a multiplicity ofdifferent types of “end user” near the end stage of the usage process.Where applicable, especially with respect to distribution channels ofembodiments of the invention comprising consumed retailproducts/services thereof (as opposed to sellers/vendors or OriginalEquipment Manufacturers), examples of an “end user” may include, withoutlimitation, a “consumer”, “buyer”, “customer”, “purchaser”, “shopper”,“enjoyer”, “viewer”, or individual person or non-human thing benefitingin any way, directly or indirectly, from use of or interaction, withsome aspect of the present invention.

In some situations, some embodiments of the present invention mayprovide beneficial usage to more than one stage or type of usage in theforegoing usage process. In such cases where multiple embodimentstargeting various stages of the usage process are described, referencesto “end user”, or any similar term, as used therein, are generallyintended to not include the user that is the furthest removed, in theforegoing usage process, from the final user therein of an embodiment ofthe present invention.

Where applicable, especially with respect to retail distributionchannels of embodiments of the invention, intermediate user(s) mayinclude, without limitation, any individual person or non-human thingbenefiting in any way, directly or indirectly, from use of, orinteraction with, some aspect of the present invention with respect toselling, vending, Original Equipment Manufacturing, marketing,merchandising, distributing, service providing, and the like thereof.

References to “person”, “individual”, “human”, “a party”, “animal”,“creature”, or any similar term, as used herein, even if the context orparticular embodiment implies living user, maker, or participant, itshould be understood that such characterizations are sole by way ofexample, and not limitation, in that it is contemplated that any suchusage, making, or participation by a living entity in connection withmaking, using, and/or participating, in any way, with embodiments of thepresent invention may be substituted by such similar performed by asuitably configured non-living entity, to include, without limitation,automated machines, robots, humanoids, computational systems,information processing systems, artificially intelligent systems, andthe like. It is further contemplated that those skilled in the art willreadily recognize the practical situations where such living makers,users, and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention maybe in whole, or in part, replaced with such non-living makers, users,and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention. Likewise,when those skilled in the art identify such practical situations wheresuch living makers, users, and/or participants with embodiments of thepresent invention may be in whole, or in part, replaced with suchnon-living makers, it will be readily apparent in light of the teachingsof the present invention how to adapt the described embodiments to besuitable for such non-living makers, users, and/or participants withembodiments of the present invention. Thus, the invention is thus toalso cover all such modifications, equivalents, and alternatives fallingwithin the spirit and scope of such adaptations and modifications, atleast in part, for such non-living entities.

Headings provided herein are for convenience and are not to be taken aslimiting the disclosure in any way.

The enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of theitems are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise.

It is understood that the use of specific component, device and/orparameter names are for example only and not meant to imply anylimitations on the invention. The invention may thus be implemented withdifferent nomenclature/terminology utilized to describe themechanisms/units/structures/components/devices/parameters herein,without limitation. Each term utilized herein is to be given itsbroadest interpretation given the context in which that term isutilized.

Terminology. The following paragraphs provide definitions and/or contextfor terms found in this disclosure (including the appended claims):

“Comprising.” This term is open-ended. As used in the appended claims,this term does not foreclose additional structure or steps. Consider aclaim that recites: “A memory controller comprising a system cache . . ..” Such a claim does not foreclose the memory controller from includingadditional components (e.g., a memory channel unit, a switch).

“Configured To.” Various units, circuits, or other components may bedescribed or claimed as “configured to” perform a task or tasks. In suchcontexts, “configured to” or “operable for” is used to connote structureby indicating that the mechanisms/units/circuits/components includestructure (e.g., circuitry and/or mechanisms) that performs the task ortasks during operation. As such, the mechanisms/unit/circuit/componentcan be said to be configured to (or be operable) for perform(ing) thetask even when the specified mechanisms/unit/circuit/component is notcurrently operational (e.g., is not on). Themechanisms/units/circuits/components used with the “configured to” or“operable for” language include hardware—example, mechanisms,structures, electronics, circuits, memory storing program instructionsexecutable to implement the operation, etc. Reciting that amechanism/unit/circuit/component is “configured to” or “operable for”perform(ing) one or more tasks is expressly intended not to invoke 35U.S.C. .sctn.112, sixth paragraph, for thatmechanism/unit/circuit/component. “Configured to” may also includeadapting a manufacturing process to fabricate devices or components thatare adapted to implement or perform one or more tasks.

“Based On.” As used herein, this term is used to describe one or morefactors that affect a determination. This term does not forecloseadditional factors that may affect a determination. That is, adetermination may be solely based on those factors or based, at least inpart, on those factors. Consider the phrase “determine A based on B.”While B may be a factor that affects the determination of A, such aphrase does not foreclose the determination of A from also being basedon C. In other instances, A may be determined based solely on B.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing conditions,concentrations, dimensions, and so forth used in the specification andclaims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by theterm “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, thenumerical parameters set forth in the following specification andattached claims are approximations that may vary depending at least upona specific analytical technique.

The term “comprising,” which is synonymous with “including,”“containing,” or “characterized by” is inclusive or open-ended and doesnot exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising”is a term of art used in claim language which means that the named claimelements are essential, but other claim elements may be added and stillform a construct within the scope of the claim.

As used herein, the phase “consisting of” excludes any element, step, oringredient not specified in the claim. When the phrase “consists of” (orvariations thereof) appears in a clause of the body of a claim, ratherthan immediately following the preamble, it limits only the element setforth in that clause; other elements are not excluded from the claim asa whole. As used herein, the phase “consisting essentially of” and“consisting of” limits the scope of a claim to the specified elements ormethod steps, plus those that do not materially affect the basis andnovel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter (see Norian Corp.v Stryker Corp., 363 F.3d 1321, 1331-32, 70 USPQ2d 1508, Fed. Cir.2004). Moreover, for any claim of the present invention which claims anembodiment “consisting essentially of” or “consisting of” a certain setof elements of any herein described embodiment it shall be understood asobvious by those skilled in the art that the present invention alsocovers all possible varying scope variants of any describedembodiment(s) that are each exclusively (i.e., “consisting essentiallyof”) functional subsets or functional combination thereof such that eachof these plurality of exclusive varying scope variants each consistsessentially of any functional subset(s) and/or functional combination(s)of any set of elements of any described embodiment(s) to the exclusionof any others not set forth therein. That is, it is contemplated that itwill be obvious to those skilled how to create a multiplicity ofalternate embodiments of the present invention that simply consistingessentially of a certain functional combination of elements of anydescribed embodiment(s) to the exclusion of any others not set forththerein, and the invention thus covers all such exclusive embodiments asif they were each described herein.

With respect to the terms “comprising,” “consisting of,” and “consistingessentially of” where one of these three terms is used herein, thepresently disclosed and claimed subject matter may include the use ofeither of the other two terms. Thus in some embodiments not otherwiseexplicitly recited, any instance of “comprising” may be replaced by“consisting of” or, alternatively, by “consisting essentially of”, andthus, for the purposes of claim support and construction for “consistingof” format claims, such replacements operate to create yet otheralternative embodiments “consisting essentially of” only the elementsrecited in the original “comprising” embodiment to the exclusion of allother elements.

Devices or system modules that are in at least general communicationwith each other need not be in continuous communication with each other,unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices or systemmodules that are in at least general communication with each other maycommunicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components in communicationwith each other does not imply that all such components are required. Onthe contrary a variety of optional components are described toillustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the presentinvention.

As is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerationsand compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimalmanufacture of a commercial implementation any system, and inparticular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercialimplementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of thepresent invention may configured according to the needs of theparticular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s),result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachingsrelated to any described embodiment of the present invention may besuitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improvedand/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skillsand known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation thataddresses the needs of the particular application.

In the following description and claims, the terms “coupled” and“connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should beunderstood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other.Rather, in particular embodiments, “connected” may be used to indicatethat two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contactwith each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are indirect physical or electrical contact. However, “coupled” may also meanthat two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, butyet still cooperate or interact with each other.

A “computer” may refer to one or more apparatus and/or one or moresystems that are capable of accepting a structured input, processing thestructured input according to prescribed rules, and producing results ofthe processing as output. Examples of a computer may include: acomputer; a stationary and/or portable computer; a computer having asingle processor, multiple processors, or multi-core processors, whichmay operate in parallel and/or not in parallel; a general purposecomputer; a supercomputer; a mainframe; a super mini-computer; amini-computer; a workstation; a micro-computer; a server; a client; aninteractive television; a web appliance; a telecommunications devicewith internet access; a hybrid combination of a computer and aninteractive television; a portable computer; a tablet personal computer(PC); a personal digital assistant (PDA); a portable telephone;application-specific hardware to emulate a computer and/or software,such as, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP), afield-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC), an application specific instruction-set processor(ASIP), a chip, chips, a system on a chip, or a chip set; a dataacquisition device; an optical computer; a quantum computer; abiological computer; and generally, an apparatus that may accept data,process data according to one or more stored software programs, generateresults, and typically include input, output, storage, arithmetic,logic, and control units.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that where appropriate, someembodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in network computingenvironments with many types of computer system configurations,including personal computers, hand-held devices, multi-processorsystems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Whereappropriate, embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computingenvironments where tasks are performed by local and remote processingdevices that are linked (either by hardwired links, wireless links, orby a combination thereof) through a communications network. In adistributed computing environment, program modules may be located inboth local and remote memory storage devices.

“Software” may refer to prescribed rules to operate a computer. Examplesof software may include: code segments in one or more computer-readablelanguages; graphical and or/textual instructions; applets; pre-compiledcode; interpreted code; compiled code; and computer programs.

The example embodiments described herein can be implemented in anoperating environment comprising computer-executable instructions (e.g.,software) installed on a computer, in hardware, or in a combination ofsoftware and hardware. The computer-executable instructions can bewritten in a computer programming language or can be embodied infirmware logic. If written in a programming language conforming to arecognized standard, such instructions can be executed on a variety ofhardware platforms and for interfaces to a variety of operating systems.Although not limited thereto, computer software program code forcarrying out operations for aspects of the present invention can bewritten in any combination of one or more suitable programminglanguages, including an object oriented programming languages and/orconventional procedural programming languages, and/or programminglanguages such as, for example, Hyper text Markup Language (HTML),Dynamic HTML, Extensible Markup Language (XML), Extensible StylesheetLanguage (XSL), Document Style Semantics and Specification Language(DSSSL), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Synchronized MultimediaIntegration Language (SMIL), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Java.™.,Jini.™., C, C++, Smalltalk, Perl, UNIX Shell, Visual Basic or VisualBasic Script, Virtual Reality Markup Language (VRML), ColdFusion.™. orother compilers, assemblers, interpreters or other computer languages orplatforms.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of thepresent invention may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

A network is a collection of links and nodes (e.g., multiple computersand/or other devices connected together) arranged so that informationmay be passed from one part of the network to another over multiplelinks and through various nodes. Examples of networks include theInternet, the public switched telephone network, the global Telexnetwork, computer networks (e.g., an intranet, an extranet, a local-areanetwork, or a wide-area network), wired networks, and wireless networks.

The Internet is a worldwide network of computers and computer networksarranged to allow the easy and robust exchange of information betweencomputer users. Hundreds of millions of people around the world haveaccess to computers connected to the Internet via Internet ServiceProviders (ISPs). Content providers (e.g., website owners or operators)place multimedia information (e.g., text, graphics, audio, video,animation, and other forms of data) at specific locations on theInternet referred to as webpages. Websites comprise a collection ofconnected, or otherwise related, webpages. The combination of all thewebsites and their corresponding webpages on the Internet is generallyknown as the World Wide Web (WWW) or simply the Web.

Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or blockdiagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, whichcomprises one or more executable instructions for implementing thespecified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in somealternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occurout of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown insuccession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or theblocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending uponthe functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware andcomputer instructions.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

Further, although process steps, method steps, algorithms or the likemay be described in a sequential order, such processes, methods andalgorithms may be configured to work in alternate orders. In otherwords, any sequence or order of steps that may be described does notnecessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in thatorder. The steps of processes described herein may be performed in anyorder practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously.

It will be readily apparent that the various methods and algorithmsdescribed herein may be implemented by, e.g., appropriately programmedgeneral purpose computers and computing devices. Typically a processor(e.g., a microprocessor) will receive instructions from a memory or likedevice, and execute those instructions, thereby performing a processdefined by those instructions. Further, programs that implement suchmethods and algorithms may be stored and transmitted using a variety ofknown media.

When a single device or article is described herein, it will be readilyapparent that more than one device/article (whether or not theycooperate) may be used in place of a single device/article. Similarly,where more than one device or article is described herein (whether ornot they cooperate), it will be readily apparent that a singledevice/article may be used in place of the more than one device orarticle.

The functionality and/or the features of a device may be alternativelyembodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly describedas having such functionality/features. Thus, other embodiments of thepresent invention need not include the device itself.

The term “computer-readable medium” as used herein refers to any mediumthat participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) which may beread by a computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium may takemany forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatilemedia, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example,optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile mediainclude dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutesthe main memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wireand fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupledto the processor. Transmission media may include or convey acousticwaves, light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as thosegenerated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) datacommunications. Common forms of computer-readable media include, forexample, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, anyother magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punchcards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, aRAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, removable media, flash memory, a“memory stick”, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave asdescribed hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer canread.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carryingsequences of instructions to a processor. For example, sequences ofinstruction (i) may be delivered from RAM to a processor, (ii) may becarried over a wireless transmission medium, and/or (iii) may beformatted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols, such asBluetooth, TDMA, CDMA, 3G.

Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to thosedescribed may be readily employed, (ii) other memory structures besidesdatabases may be readily employed. Any schematic illustrations andaccompanying descriptions of any sample databases presented herein areexemplary arrangements for stored representations of information. Anynumber of other arrangements may be employed besides those suggested bythe tables shown. Similarly, any illustrated entries of the databasesrepresent exemplary information only; those skilled in the art willunderstand that the number and content of the entries can be differentfrom those illustrated herein. Further, despite any depiction of thedatabases as tables, an object-based model could be used to store andmanipulate the data types of the present invention and likewise, objectmethods or behaviors can be used to implement the processes of thepresent invention.

A “computer system” may refer to a system having one or more computers,where each computer may include a computer-readable medium embodyingsoftware to operate the computer or one or more of its components.Examples of a computer system may include: a distributed computer systemfor processing information via computer systems linked by a network; twoor more computer systems connected together via a network fortransmitting and/or receiving information between the computer systems;a computer system including two or more processors within a singlecomputer; and one or more apparatuses and/or one or more systems thatmay accept data, may process data in accordance with one or more storedsoftware programs, may generate results, and typically may includeinput, output, storage, arithmetic, logic, and control units.

A “network” may refer to a number of computers and associated devicesthat may be connected by communication facilities. A network may involvepermanent connections such as cables or temporary connections such asthose made through telephone or other communication links. A network mayfurther include hard-wired connections (e.g., coaxial cable, twistedpair, optical fiber, waveguides, etc.) and/or wireless connections(e.g., radio frequency waveforms, free-space optical waveforms, acousticwaveforms, etc.). Examples of a network may include: an internet, suchas the Internet; an intranet; a local area network (LAN); a wide areanetwork (WAN); and a combination of networks, such as an internet and anintranet.

As used herein, the “client-side” application should be broadlyconstrued to refer to an application, a page associated with thatapplication, or some other resource or function invoked by a client-siderequest to the application. A “browser” as used herein is not intendedto refer to any specific browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Safari,FireFox, or the like), but should be broadly construed to refer to anyclient-side rendering engine that can access and displayInternet-accessible resources. A “rich” client typically refers to anon-HTTP based client-side application, such as an SSH or CFIS client.Further, while typically the client-server interactions occur usingHTTP, this is not a limitation either. The client server interaction maybe formatted to conform to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) andtravel over HTTP (over the public Internet), FTP, or any other reliabletransport mechanism (such as IBM.®. MQSeries.®. technologies and CORBA,for transport over an enterprise intranet) may be used. Any applicationor functionality described herein may be implemented as native code, byproviding hooks into another application, by facilitating use of themechanism as a plug-in, by linking to the mechanism, and the like.

Exemplary networks may operate with any of a number of protocols, suchas Internet protocol (IP), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), and/orsynchronous optical network (SONET), user datagram protocol (UDP), IEEE802.x, etc.

Embodiments of the present invention may include apparatuses forperforming the operations disclosed herein. An apparatus may bespecially constructed for the desired purposes, or it may comprise ageneral-purpose device selectively activated or reconfigured by aprogram stored in the device.

Embodiments of the invention may also be implemented in one or acombination of hardware, firmware, and software. They may be implementedas instructions stored on a machine-readable medium, which may be readand executed by a computing platform to perform the operations describedherein.

More specifically, as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art,aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method orcomputer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present inventionmay take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirelysoftware embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code,etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that mayall generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or“system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take theform of a computer program product embodied in one or more computerreadable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodiedthereon.

In the following description and claims, the terms “computer programmedium” and “computer readable medium” may be used to generally refer tomedia such as, but not limited to, removable storage drives, a hard diskinstalled in hard disk drive, and the like. These computer programproducts may provide software to a computer system. Embodiments of theinvention may be directed to such computer program products.

An algorithm is here, and generally, considered to be a self-consistentsequence of acts or operations leading to a desired result. Theseinclude physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, thoughnot necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical ormagnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined,compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times,principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals asbits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers or the like.It should be understood, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, and as may be apparent from thefollowing description and claims, it should be appreciated thatthroughout the specification descriptions utilizing terms such as“processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” or the like,refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or computing system,or similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transformdata represented as physical, such as electronic, quantities within thecomputing system's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computing system'smemories, registers or other such information storage, transmission ordisplay devices.

Additionally, the phrase “configured to” or “operable for” can includegeneric structure (e.g., generic circuitry) that is manipulated bysoftware and/or firmware (e.g., an FPGA or a general-purpose processorexecuting software) to operate in a manner that is capable of performingthe task(s) at issue. “Configured to” may also include adapting amanufacturing process (e.g., a semiconductor fabrication facility) tofabricate devices (e.g., integrated circuits) that are adapted toimplement or perform one or more tasks.

In a similar manner, the term “processor” may refer to any device orportion of a device that processes electronic data from registers and/ormemory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data thatmay be stored in registers and/or memory. A “computing platform” maycomprise one or more processors.

Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may also includetangible and/or non-transitory computer-readable storage media forcarrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structuresstored thereon. Such non-transitory computer-readable storage media canbe any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose orspecial purpose computer, including the functional design of any specialpurpose processor as discussed above. By way of example, and notlimitation, such non-transitory computer-readable media can include RAM,ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storageor other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be usedto carry or store desired program code means in the form ofcomputer-executable instructions, data structures, or processor chipdesign. When information is transferred or provided over a network oranother communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, orcombination thereof) to a computer, the computer properly views theconnection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection isproperly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the aboveshould also be included within the scope of the computer-readable media.

While a non-transitory computer readable medium includes, but is notlimited to, a hard drive, compact disc, flash memory, volatile memory,random access memory, magnetic memory, optical memory, semiconductorbased memory, phase change memory, optical memory, periodicallyrefreshed memory, and the like; the non-transitory computer readablemedium, however, does not include a pure transitory signal per se; i.e.,where the medium itself is transitory.

As will be described in some detail below, many embodiments of thepresent invention may provide means and/or methods of providing amultiplicity of users an interactive game application and furtherfacilitating execution of the game application via an internet browserin communication on users' mobile devices and/or computing devices, suchas, without limitation, a desktop personal computer (PC), laptop,workstation, personal, digital assistance device (PDA), tablet, mobilephone, or any other device capable of interfacing via the internetbrowser or any other communication network. Some of these embodimentsmay comprise computer software. In some embodiments, software may beintegrated into hardware, including, without limitation,uniquely-designed hardware for running embodiment software. Thesoftware, may be accessed by an internet browser of a mobile device orcomputing device and may cause the devices to facilitate, via graphicaluser interfaces (GUI)s, a series of identical life and relationshipstyle questions, one by one, to users (who have agreed to play the gametogether) simultaneously. The users may choose an answer from a multiplechoice list facilitated by the game application. Each user may answer arespective question and each user's answer may be shown to the otheruser. Each user may have the option to continue or discontinue playingthe game. If each user agrees to continue to play, another subjectcategory may be selected and the devices may generate another identicalpair of questions for the users to answer. This process may be continueduntil one or both users discontinues playing or when all the gamequestions are answered. It may be contemplated that, in someembodiments, the answers provided by each user may assist the other userin determining for example, an without limitation, areas they have incommon, personality traits, love languages, financial habits, lifegoals, future plans, living styles, work ethics, educational background,family goals, fitness habits, likes and dislikes, skill sets, etc., bythe users being able to learn about each other and thus assisting themdetermining if they may be compatible for a multiplicity of relationshiptypes such as, without limitation, a romantic relationship, a workrelationship, a roommate relationship, a friendship, a mentorship, etc.For example, and without limitation, a question may be “are you open tohaving sex before marriage?”, “do you use coupons?”, “do you wash dishesimmediately after using them?”, “are you currently employed?”, “do youhave good time management skills?”, “can you multitask well?”, “have youbeen told that you are good listener?” etc. Optimally, a relativelylarge number of questions may be provided in order to check a broadrange of attributes, characteristics and other features of each playerto give each player the opportunity to determine suitability with theother player. Therefore, it may be further contemplated that someembodiments of the present invention may facilitate a selection of abest or most compatible player for a possible future particularrelationship.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary game system architecture 100 of aninteractive game application embodiment, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the gamesystem architecture may include a multiplicity of remote clients 105which may be in communication with each other via communication channel110 and global network 115, wherein each of the multiplicity of remoteclients may include a processing unit which may further include hardwareand software modules configured to execute computer-readableinstructions for facilitating an interactive game application, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The plurality ofremote clients may also include for example, without limitation, adesktop personal computer (PC), laptop, workstation, personal digitalassistance device (PDA), tablet, cellular phone, gaming console, mediastreaming device or any other device capable of accessing the globalnetwork. In the present embodiment the global network may include,without limitation, the internet and/or cellular telephone networks,wherein the global network may operate to transfer information betweenvarious networked elements. It will be understood by those skilled inthe art that the global network may be of many different forms. In someembodiments the network may include, for example, and withoutlimitation, an intranet, an extranet, local area networks (LANs), widearea networks (WANs), a virtual private network (VPN), non-TCP/IP basednetworks, wired telephone networks, or any other network that maysupport data communication between respective entities via hardwired orwireless communication networks. In the present embodiment, game systemarchitecture 100 may further include a host server 120 which may beaccessed by at least one of the multiplicity of remote clients viacommunication channel 125 and the global network, wherein the hostserver may include a multiplicity of servers and executablecomputer-readable instructions for receiving a request from at least oneof the multiplicity of remote clients and downloading computer-readableinstructions to at least one of the multiplicity of remote clients forfacilitating a game application, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. Furthermore, the host server may also includeexecutable computer-readable instructions to facilitate a webpage thatmay be accessed by at least one user, using at least one of themultiplicity of remote clients. The host server may also includeexecutable computer-readable instructions to facilitate registeringusers. In the present embodiment, the host server may include one ormore data storage devices, wherein the one or more data storage devicesmay store retrievable data. The retrievable data may be used infacilitating a game application, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. Furthermore, the retrievable data may include,without limitation, computer-readable instructions to install gameapplication software, computer-readable instructions to display amultiplicity of screens of a game application, links and other addressrelated to the game application, computer-readable instructions allowingor inhibiting an interaction with the game application,computer-readable instruction to facilitate entry fields, metadatarelated to dynamic and static features of the game application,databases of users' contact information, personal information, users'registration data, users' personality traits, usage information, users'partner and relationship status information, users' income, pictures,question categories, advice tips, questions, question answers,compatibility percentages, location information, game statusinformation, continue options, any other game and user relatedinformation that may be sent to the users, or a combination thereof.

In the present embodiment game system architecture 100, may also includea multiplicity of local network regions with a sampling of regionsdenoted as a local network region 130, a local network region denoted as135, and a local network region denoted as 140. Each of the localnetwork regions may operate to represent respective networks containedwithin a geographical area or region. Non-limiting examples ofrepresentations for the geographical areas for the local networkedregions may include postal zip codes, telephone area codes, states,counties, cities and countries. Elements within local network region130, 135, and 140 may operate to communicate with external elementswithin other networked regions or within elements contained within thesame network region.

In the present embodiment, the host server and multiplicity of serversincluded therein may operate to execute computer-readable instructions,store information, support storage device operations and communicatewith other networked elements. Non-limiting examples ofcomputer-readable and scripting languages which may be executed on thehost server and multiplicity of servers include C, C++, C#, Perl, PHP,Python, AppleScript, ColdFusion Ruby, SQL, HTML, and Java.

In the present embodiment, each of local network region 130, localnetwork region 135, local network region 140, and host server 120, mayoperate to communicate bi-directionally with global network 115 viacommunication channels 110 and 125 such that the local network regions130, 135, 140, host server, and global network 115 may operate tocommunicate with each other and with every other networked devicelocated within game system architecture 100.

In the present embodiment, each remote client 105 of the plurality ofremote clients may include a networking device, a processor unit, a GUIand an interface device. Non-limiting examples of devices for the GUIinclude monitors, televisions, cellular telephones, smartphones and PDAs(Personal Digital Assistants), desktop personal computers (PC)s,laptops, workstations, tablets, gaming console, and media streamingdevices. Non-limiting examples of the interface device include pointingdevices, touch screens, gesture recognition systems, mouse, trackball,scanner and printer. Non-limiting examples of the network device includegateways, routers, and switches. The networking device may communicatebi-directionally with global network 115, via communication channel 125and/or 110, and with the processor unit via a data bus. The GUI mayreceive information from processor unit via the data bus forpresentation to a user for viewing. Interface device may operate to sendcontrol information to the processor unit and to receive informationfrom processor unit via the data bus.

For example, consider the case where a user interfacing with remoteclient 105 may want to execute a networked application. A user may enterthe IP (Internet Protocol) address for the networked application usingthe interface device. The IP address information may be communicated tothe processor via the data bus. The processor may then communicate theIP address information to the networking device of the remote client viathe data bus. The networking device of the remote client may thencommunicate the IP address information to the global network 115 viacommunication channel 125. The global network 115 may then communicatethe IP address information to a networking device of the host server 120via communication channel 125. The networking device of the host servermay then communicate the IP address information to one of themultiplicity of servers of the game server via a host data bus. The oneof the multiplicity of servers may receive the IP address informationand after processing the IP address information may communicate returninformation to the networking device of the host server via the hostdata bus. The networking device of the host server may communicate thereturn information to the global network 115 via communication channel125. Global network 115 may communicate the return information to thenetworking device of the remote client via communication channel 125.The networking device of the remote client may communicate the returninformation to the processor via the data bus. The processor maycommunicate the return information to the GUI via the data bus, wherein,the user may then view the return information on the GUI.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary software module architecture 200 of aninteractive game application embodiment, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. The software module architecturemay include a multiplicity of remote clients sampled as a first remoteclient 205 and a second remote client 210. The software modulearchitecture may further include a host server 215, wherein the hostserver may include at least a webpage interface module 220, a downloadmodule 225, a registration module 230, a gaming module 235 and anetworking module 240. Furthermore, the webpage module may include awebpage data server 245. The download module may include a download dataserver 250. The registration module may include a registration dataserver 255. The gaming module may include a gaming server 260. In thepresent embodiment, webpage interface module 220, download module 225,registration module 230, gaming module 235, and networking module 240may be in communication with each other via a bi-directional data bus250 which may allow data to be sent between the modules for storage andprocessing. In the present embodiment, the multiplicity of remoteclients may be in communication with host server 215. A first remoteclient 205 may include a GUI module 265, a networking module 270, aclient server 275, and a bi-directional data bus 280, wherein data maybe sent between the modules and server of the first remote client forstorage and processing via data bus 280. A second remote client 210 mayinclude a GUI module 285, a networking module 290, a client server 295,and a bi-directional data bus 299, wherein data may be sent between themodules and server of the second remote client, for storage andprocessing, via data bus 299. In the present embodiment, networkingmodules 240, 270, and 290 may operate to execute computer-readableinstructions to access a global network and communicate bi-directionallywith each other. In the present embodiment all of the modules of thearchitecture may execute computer-readable instructions to performdifferent method steps, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. In an alternative embodiment a bi-directional data bus mayinclude the internet or a wireless transmission of data.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary software module diagram 300 of aninteractive game application embodiment, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, anetworking module 305, of a host server, may be configured to includeexecutable computer-readable instructions to receive and process awebsite address request from a remote client via a global network. Thenetwork module may also be configured to communicate the request to awebpage interface module 310 of the host server. The webpage interfacemodule may be configured to include executable computer-readableinstructions to retrieve webpage data from a storage device of a webpagedata server 315, wherein the webpage interface module may further sendthe webpage data back to networking module 305. The webpage data mayinclude for example, and without limitation, computer-readableinstructions to display a webpage, links and other addresses related tothe webpage, computer-readable instructions allowing interaction withthe webpage, and metadata related to dynamic and static features of thewebpage. The networking module may send the webpage data back to theremote client, via the global network. A networking module and a GUI ofthe remote client may process the webpage data, by executingcomputer-readable instructions, and may display a usable webpage of aninteractive game application to a user of the remote client.

In the present embodiment, webpage interface module 310, of the hostserver, may also be configured to include executable computer-readableinstructions to receive and process a game application download requestfrom the remote client via the global network and networking module 305.The webpage interface module may be configured to communicate thedownload request to a download module 320 of the host server. Thedownload module may be configured to include executablecomputer-readable instructions to retrieve game application data from astorage device of a download data server 325. The game application datamay include, for example, and without limitation, computer-readableinstructions to install game application software, computer-readableinstructions to display a multiplicity of screens of a game application,links and other address related to the game application,computer-readable instructions allowing and/or inhibiting interactionwith the game application, computer-readable instructions to facilitateentry fields, metadata related to dynamic and static features of thegame application, databases of users' contact information, personalinformation such as a user's birthdate and age, users' registrationdata, users' personality traits, usage information, users' partner andrelationship status information, users' income, payment information,pictures, question categories, advice tips, questions, question answers,compatibility percentages, location information, game statusinformation, continue option, any other game and user relatedinformation that may be sent to the users for game facilitation of agame application, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention or any combination thereof. The download module may also sendthe game application data back to webpage interface module 310. Thewebpage interface module may send the game application data back to theremote client, via the global network and networking module 305. Thenetworking module and GUI of the remote client may process the gameapplication data, by executing computer-readable instructions, and mayinstall interactive game software, on a remote client device which mayallow an interactive game application to be ran, accessed, and used by auser of the remote client.

In the present embodiment, a user may load the installed interactivegame software on a remote client to run an interactive game applicationthat may be used by the user. Furthermore, a user may enter userregistration information into the interactive game application and mayalso send the user registration information with a registration requestto the host server. The user registration information may include,without limitation, one or any combination of, a username, a user'sfirst and last name, a user's birthdate, age, a social security number,payment information, an email address, contact information, a permanentresidence address, a current location, a user's picture, a password, ananswer to a predetermined question, or any other personal informationfor user authentication. A registration module 330, of the host server,may be configured to include executable computer-readable instructionsto perform a user registration. The registration module may beconfigured to receive and process user registration information and auser registration request from the remote client via the installedinteractive game software, global network and networking module 305 andmay further be configured to include executable computer-readableinstructions to store the user information in a storage device of aregistration data server 335.

In the present embodiment, a user may also enter sign-in information ina running interactive game application, on a remote client, being usedby a user, to gain further access to features and functionalities of theinteractive game application. Sign-in information may include one or anycombination of, for example, and without limitation, a username, anemail address, contact information, a password, a security answer to apredetermined question, an age, a birth date or any of the registrationinformation described above. Furthermore, a user may send the sign-ininformation and a sign-in request to the host server. A gaming module340, of the host server, may be configured to include executablecomputer-readable instructions to perform a user sign-in operation. Thegaming module may be configured to receive and process user sign-ininformation and a user sign-in request from the remote client via theinstalled interactive game software, a global network, and networkingmodule 305. The gaming module may further be configured to includeexecutable computer-readable instructions to access a storage device ofthe registration data server 335. The gaming module may also execute afirst look-up by comparing stored registration information with thesign-in information. A successful comparison may allow the user furtheraccess to features and functionalities of the interactive gameapplication.

In the present embodiment, a first user may enter a second user's userinformation in a running interactive game application, on a first remoteclient, being used by the first user, to invite a second user to play aninteractive game application. Second user's user information may includeone or any combination of, for example, and without limitation, ausername, an email address, or contact information. Furthermore, a firstuser may send the second user's user information and an invite requestto the host server. A gaming module 340, of the host server, may beconfigured to include executable computer-readable instructions toperform a second user invite. The gaming module may be configured toreceive and process the second user's user information and the inviterequest from the first remote client via the installed interactive gamesoftware, a global network and networking module 305. The gaming modulemay further be configured to include executable computer-readableinstructions to access a storage device of the registration data server335 and may execute a second look-up by comparing stored registrationinformation with the second user's user information. A successfulcomparison may cause gaming module 340 to generate a play optionmessage. The gaming module may be further configured to includeexecutable computer-readable instructions to send the play optionmessage and at least one portion of a first user's registrationinformation, via a global network and networking module 305, to a secondremote client, wherein a second user, using the second remote client,may view the at least one portion of the first user's registrationinformation and also respond to the play option message using a runninginteractive game application installed on the second remote client. Inthe present embodiment the play option message may include an option toplay the interactive game application with the first user. Anunsuccessful comparison may cause gaming module 340 to generate aregister message. The gaming module may be further be configured toinclude executable computer-readable instructions to send the registermessage and at least one portion of a first user's registrationinformation, via a global network and networking module 305, to an emailaddress of the second user, wherein the second user, using the secondremote client, may view the at least one portion of the first user'sregistration information and also respond to the register message usingany well-known conventional email services. In the present embodimentthe register message may include a link or address for the second remoteclient to gain access to a webpage interface module 310. The message mayfurther include instructions to download an interactive game applicationdata and perform a second user registration and sign-in.

In the present embodiment, a second user, using a second remote client,may accept a game with a first user, using a first remote client, byselecting a positive option in a play option message that may bepresented to the second user in an interactive game application runningon the second remote client. A positive option may include for example,and without limitation, a “yes”, an “agree”, a “start”, a “go”, a “play”or any other positive option that may indicate that a second user maydesire to play the game with the first user. A gaming module 340 of thehost server, may be configured to include executable computer-readableinstructions to receive and process the positive option, via a globalnetwork and networking module 305. The gaming module may further beconfigured to include executable computer-readable instructions tocommence and carrying out a game session by retrieving game applicationdata from a storage device of a gaming server 345. The game applicationdata may include, for example, and without limitation, computer-readableinstructions to display a multiplicity game application screens,computer-readable instructions allowing interaction with the gameapplication, metadata related to dynamic and static features of the gameapplication, a responding user determination, question categories,advice tips, questions, question answers, compatibility percentages,location information, game status information, a continue game option,users' personality traits, usage information, users' partner andrelationship status information, or any other game and user relatedinformation that may be sent to the users during game facilitation of agame application. Gaming module 340 may further be configured to includeexecutable computer-readable instructions to communicate firstparticular portions of the game application data to both the firstremote client and the second remote client almost simultaneously, viathe global network and networking module 305. The particular portions ofthe game application data may be, for example, and without limitation,display screen data, one or more question categories, one or morequestions, one or more answers to questions, one or more advice tips,compatibility percentages, a game status, a continue option, executablecomputer-readable instructions to allow each remote client to progressthrough the interactive game application, and any combination thereof.The gaming module may further be configured to include executablecomputer-readable instructions to communicate second particular portionsof the game application data to both the first remote client and thesecond remote client, almost simultaneously, in response to receivingfeedback from the first remote client and the second remote client. Thegaming module may communicate a multiplicity of particular portions ofthe game application data to both the first remote client and the secondremote client, almost simultaneously, during the game session. Thegaming module may also be configured to end a game session when feedbackfrom at least one of the remote clients may not be a positive responseto a “continue game” option.

In some alternative embodiments, a registration module may communicate aregistration success, a registration failure, or an already registeredmessage back to a remote client, via networking modules and a globalnetwork, wherein a user may be required to reenter or change userinformation. In some alternative embodiments a registration message mayinclude a decline option. In another alternative embodiment aregistration message may include first user information such as, a name,username, picture, residence address, current location, income, anddescriptive personal data such as, age, ethnicity, height etc., whereinthe first user information may be displayed to the second user. In somealternative embodiments, a gaming module may communicate a sign-insuccess, a sign-in failure, or a not registered message back to theremote client, via networking modules and a global network, wherein asign-in failure message may be sent in response to a partial comparisonand a not registered message may be sent in response to a completelyunsuccessful comparison. Furthermore, a user may be required to reentersign-in information, change sign-in information, or submit registrationinformation. In some alternative embodiments a sign-in may includeprocessing a payment. In other alternative embodiments a sign-in mayinclude processing a payment after a predetermined number of freesign-ins. In another alternative embodiment, sending a download requestmay include processing a payment. In some alternative embodiments asign-in may include submitting a current location, wherein the currentlocation may be stored and not used for a sign-in comparison. In somealternative embodiments a user may perform a registration off-line byregistering the user information, via a running interactive gameapplication, in a database downloaded during a download of interactivegame application data. In some embodiments a user may perform a sign-in,off-line by entering sign-in information, via a running gameapplication, wherein executable computer-readable instructions of thegame application, downloaded during a download of interactive gameapplication data, may perform a comparison with an off-line registrationdatabase. In another alternative embodiment, a game session between tworemote clients may be facilitated without a host server. Both of theremote clients may run previously downloaded interactive gameapplication software and game application data, wherein the software maybe executed to perform a game session using a network that would allowdirect communication between the two remote clients. In yet anotheralternative embodiment, some game related functions may be performedusing a host server while other functions may be performed by downloadedinteractive game application software. In another alternativeembodiment, an interactive game application installed in a remote clientmay be updated by the host game server. In many alternative embodiments,an invite request, first user information, and second user information,submitted by a first remote client, may be stored in a temporary storagedevice on a host server in response to an unsuccessful comparison of thesecond user information with stored registration information. After asecond user downloads the game application data and registers userinformation, a play option message may be sent automatically from thehost server to a second remote client. In some alternative embodimentsan invite request, first user information, and second user information,submitted by a first remote client, may be stored in a temporary storagedevice on a host server in response to an unsuccessful comparison of thesecond user information with stored registration information. After asecond user downloads the game application data and registers userinformation, a notification, indicating that the second user hasregistered, may be sent automatically from the host server, to the firstremote client.

In some alternative embodiments, a server, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention, may comprise a multiplicity ofservers, mainframes, mini servers, or application servers. In somealternative embodiment at least one local network region, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention may comprise a multiplicityof remote clients.

Now with reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4B an exemplary, withoutlimitation, software processing of an interactive game applicationembodiment may be described in some detail below. FIG. 4A, illustrates astart of an exemplary software processing flowchart of an interactivegame application embodiment, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention, and FIG. 4B illustrates an end thereof. Theprocessing may begin with a first user, using a first remote client topossibly request a webpage address from a host server in a step 403. Thehost server, in operable communication with a webpage interface module,may receive the request and may return webpage data of the interactivegame application, in a step 406, to the first remote client. In a step409, the first remote client may execute computer-readable instructionsto cause a GUI of the first remote client to display a webpage of theinteractive game application. The first user, operating the first remoteclient, may then request to download interactive game applicationsoftware via the webpage in a step 412. The host server, in operablecommunication with a download module, may return interactive gameapplication data to the first remote client, in a step 415. Next, in astep 418, the first remote client may execute computer-readableinstruction to install the returned interactive game application data.The installed application data may allow the interactive gameapplication to be launched and ran in a step 421, on the first remoteclient. After running the interactive game application, the first usermay choose to perform a registration in a decision step 424.Registration may be performed by the first user entering first userinformation and submitting a registration request, in a step 427, to thehost server, wherein, entering the first user information and submittingthe registration request may be performed in the running interactivegame application installed on the first remote client. The host server,in operable communication with a registration module, may store thefirst user information and thus complete a registration in a step 430.Next, the first user may choose to play the interactive game applicationback at the decision step 424. After choosing to play, the first usermay perform a sign-in. The first user may enter first user sign-ininformation and send a sign-in request to the host server in a step 433,wherein entering the first user sign-in information and sending thesign-in request are performed in the running interactive gameapplication installed on the first remote client. The host server, inoperable communication with the registration module, may perform a firstcomparison, in a step 436, to possibly verify a match between the firstuser sign-in information and previously stored registration information.After a successful sign-in, the first user may enter a second user'suser information, wherein a second user may be another remote user thatthe first user may desire to play the interactive game application with.The first user may submit an invite request and the second user's userinformation to the host server in a step 439, wherein submitting theinvite request and second user's user information are performed in therunning interactive game application installed on the first remoteclient. The host server, in operable communication with a gaming module,may perform a second comparison, in a step 441, to possibly verify amatch between the second user's user information and previously storedregistration information. Next, at a decision step 444, the gamingmodule determines if a match has been found. If no match has been foundthe gaming module may send a register message, in a step 447, to asecond remote client, using first user information and the second user'suser information, wherein the register message communicates that thefirst user may desire to play the interactive game application and thatthe second user may need to download the interactive game applicationand perform a registration and a sign-in. In a step 450, a second usermay download the interactive game application data and perform aregistration and sign-in, wherein the second user may download theinteractive game application, register second user information, andsign-in to the interactive game application by performing similar stepsas described in steps 403-436. The gaming module may then performanother comparison back in the step 441 to possibly verify a matchbetween the second user information and previously stored registrationinformation, wherein the previously stored registration information mayhave been updated by the registration of the second user. Furthermore,in a case that the second user was already registered, only 1 comparisonmay be needed at step 441. If a match has been found, the gaming modulemay send a play option message to the second remote client, using firstuser information and the second user's user information, in a step 453,wherein, the play option message may present an option to the seconduser to play the interactive game application with the first user. Thesecond user may choose to play. The second user may operate the secondremote client, running an interactive game application, to send apositive response, in response to the play option message, to the hostgame server, in a step 456. Next, the host server, in operablecommunication with the gaming module, may begin an interactive gameapplication session and start a first round by sending a portion ofinteractive game application data to both the first remote client andthe second remote client, simultaneously, in a step 459. The firstportion of interactive game application data may allow both the firstremote client and the second remote client to display the sent firstportion of interactive game application data. Furthermore, the firstportion of interactive game application data may also allow only one ofthe users to enter and send a response to the host server, via a remoteclient. A responding user, may respond to a displayed portion ofinteractive game application data, by operating a remote client to sendfeedback to the host server, in a step 462, wherein the responding usermay be the first user or the second user, moreover, the feedback mayinclude a selection from a either a responding first user or aresponding second user. A non-responding user may only view the portionof interactive game data being displayed by a remote client, in a step465, and may not have the ability to submit a response via the remoteclient at this time. Next, the host server, in operable communicationwith the gaming module, may receive the feedback and send a secondportion of the interactive game application data to both the firstremote client and the second remote client, simultaneously, in a step468. The second portion of the interactive game application data mayallow both the first remote client and the second remote client todisplay the sent second portion of interactive game application data.Furthermore, the second portion of interactive game application data mayalso allow both users to enter and send feedback to the host server viatheir respective remote clients. The first user may make a first userselection in response to the second portion of interactive gameapplication data, and send the selection to the host server, using afirst remote client, in a step 471. Also, the second user may make asecond user selection in response to the second portion of interactivegame application data, and send the second user selection to the hostserver, using a second remote client, in a step 474. Next, the hostserver, in operable communication with the gaming module, may receivethe first user selection and the second user selection. The host servermay then forward the first user selection to the second remote client,and simultaneously may forward the second user selection to the firstremote client, in a step 477. Forwarding the selection may allow eachuser to view the other user's selection. After each user views the otheruser's selection, the host server, in operable communication with thegaming module, may send a third portion of interactive game applicationdata to both the first remote client and second remote client,simultaneously, in a step 480. The third portion of the interactive gameapplication data may allow both the first remote client and the secondremote client to display the sent third portion of interactive gameapplication data. Furthermore, the third portion of interactive gameapplication data may not allow either users to enter and send a responseto the host server. After each user views the third portion of theinteractive game application data, the host server, in operablecommunication with the gaming module, may send, a fourth portion ofinteractive game application data to both the first remote client andsecond remote client simultaneously in a step 483. The fourth portion ofthe interactive game application may include a continue option. In acase that the first user may choose not to continue, the first user mayoperate the first remote client to send a negative response to the hostserver in a decision step 486. In a case that the second user may choosenot to continue, the second user may operate the second remote client tosend a negative response to the host server in a decision step 489. Thehost server, in communication with the gaming module, may receive one ormore negative response and end the interactive game application sessionin a step 492 and/or in a step 495, such that a negative response to thecontinue option from either user or both users may end the interactivegame application session. In a case that both the first and second usersmay choose to continue, both the first and second remote clients may beoperated to send a positive response to the host server in the decisionstep 486 and the decision step 489. The host server, in communicationwith the gaming module, may receive the positive responses and maycontinue the interactive game application session, in a step 498 bycycling the processing back to the step 459 and executing a secondround. In the present embodiment, the gaming module may be configured toinclude executable computer-readable instructions to choose which usermay be the responding user to the first portion of interactive gameapplication data. The gaming module may further be configured to showboth user's user information of the chosen responding user by displayingthe responder's user information on the first and second remote clients.For example, and without limitation, the gaming module may display thata username, of the chosen responding user, may be making aresponse/selection. Furthermore, the gaming module may also beconfigured to alternate which user may be the chosen responding userwith each round that may be played. In the present embodiment, amultiplicity of rounds may be executed. In another embodiment, after ahost server may receive one or more negative responses in response to acontinue option, the host sever may send a share option to the first andsecond remote clients, wherein each user may choose to have their emailaddresses, cell phone numbers, names or social media contact infodisplayed to the other remote client for direct contact via a cellularnetwork, a global network, and/or a social media site.

In many alternative embodiments a signed-in first user may view a listof usernames of other registered users. Furthermore, the signed-in usermay also see some registered users' user information such as, andwithout limitation, a current location, residence location, and apicture, wherein a signed-in user may select a registered user from theviewed list to send an invite to. Furthermore, other registered userinformation may further include a mobile number, wherein an invitemessage may be sent to the second user via text message over a cellularnetwork.

In many alternative embodiments user registration may include aselectable option to share user registration information with otherusers, wherein all of or just portions of the user information may bedesignated as sharable or not sharable. In another alternativeembodiment a user may select a language to play an interactive gameapplication in.

In many alternative embodiments, a gaming module may determine that theuser who sent an invite request may be the responding user to the firstportion of interactive game application data. In some alternativeembodiments a gaming module may determine that the user who received aregistration message (an invited user) may be the responding user to thefirst portion of interactive game application data. In some alternativeembodiments a responding user may be chosen alphabetically. In anotheralternative embodiment a gaming module may be configured to determine afirst or second user to be a responding user to the first portion ofinteractive game application data by random selection using a randomnumber generator. In another alternative embodiment, after a respondinguser may be chosen by randomly selecting a first or second user for afirst game round, a different responding user may be chosen for eachfollowing round, wherein, in each round the responding user may bechosen by alternating between the users. In another alternativeembodiment a responding user may be randomly selected for each gameround. In yet another alternative embodiment a selected responding usermay be the responding user for each game round until the game sessionshave ended. In other alternative embodiments, a selected responding usermay change only after a predetermined number of rounds may have beenplayed. In another alternative embodiment, a selected responding user toa first portion of interactive game application data may change in afollowing round only if user responses to a second portion ofinteractive game application are different. In another alternativeembodiment, a selected responding user to a first portion of interactivegame application data may change in a following round only if userresponses to a second portion of interactive game application are thesame.

In yet another alternative embodiment, after a select responding userresponds to a first portion of interactive game application data, a hostserver may present the responding user with an option to proceednormally or provide an open message. An open message may include theresponding user creating a question and corresponding multiple choiceanswers that the host server will send as a second portion ofinteractive application data. Furthermore, the host server, may storethe open message for use with future users.

In many alternative embodiments after a host server forwards userselections in response to a second portion of interactive gameapplication data, the host server may allow a predetermined amount oftime to elapse before a third portion of interactive game applicationdata may be sent to a first and second remote clients. In manyalternative embodiments after a host server may send a third portion ofinteractive game application data to a first and second remote clients,the host server may allow a predetermined amount of time to elapsebefore a fourth portion of interactive game application data may be sentto a first and second remote clients. In some alternative embodiments athird portion of interactive application data may further include acompatibility percentage based on an accumulation of responses by theusers that are the same. In yet another alternative embodiment a thirdportion of interactive application data may further include a dynamicgraphic which changes based on a compatibility percentage, where in thegraphic may include, for example, and without limitation, pieces on agame board which move closer together as a compatibility percentageincrease and vis-versa, or a heart that becomes more filled as acompatibility percentage increases and vise-versa. In anotheralternative embodiment, when a first and/or second user may choose toend an interactive game session, the host server may send a message tothe other user, wherein the message may include an indication that the“username” of the user choosing to end the session “has ended thesession”.

In yet another alternative embodiment, a user registration may includecreating a user profile, wherein response to portions of interactivegame application data may be stored for each profile. Furthermore, usersmay exchange direct messages that may be stored with the user profile.After a user sign-in a host game server may present a user with anoption to view any messages that may have been sent to the user byanother user.

In another alternative embodiment, a host game server may further beconfigured to execute a suggested invitation. After a first usersign-in, the host game server may present a suggested invitation option,wherein, if selected by the first user, the host game server may providea list of usernames for invite. The host game server may provideusernames of user that are for example, without limitation, in a similarlocation, have residence address in close proximity, have similarpersonality traits, have similar responses to portions of interactivegame application data, or any combination thereof.

In another alternative embodiment, a host game server may further beconfigured to execute an open invitation request. After a first usersign-in, the host game server may present an open invitation option,wherein, if selected by the first user, may cause a first remote clientmay send an open invitation request to the host server. The host servermay store the open invitation request and later display a play openinvitation option to other users so that after a second user sign-in,the second user may be presented to play a game session with the firstuser by responding positively to the play open invitation option. Theplay open invitation option may be presented to a multiplicity of usersuntil a user responds positively to the play open invitation option orthe first user cancels the open invitation.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary user sign-in method 500of an embodiment of an interactive game application, in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, onceinteractive game application data may be downloaded and installed on afirst remote client. A game icon may be displayed on the first remoteclient and clicked on by the first user, in a step 505, for direct entryto the interactive game application. A first user may then choose toplay or register in a decision step 510. A first user may be a firsttime user and thus may need to perform a registration process using ahost server in a step 515. A first user may be a returning user and thusmay already be register. The first user may choose to play in thedecision step 510. Next the first user may then sign-in by enteringtheir email address, username and/or password, in a step 520. After asuccessful comparison may be performed by the host server, a process ofinviting a second user to play the interactive game application, may bestarted, in a step 525. The first user may invite a second user byentering the second user's email address or username into the firstremote client in a step 530. When an invitation request may be submittedby the first remote client, the host server may send a message to asecond remote client by using the second user's email address requestingthe second user to play. The second user may be a first time user andthus may need to perform a download the interactive game applicationdata, install the interactive game application, and perform aregistration process using the host server in a step 535. Once thesecond user is registered, the second user may accept the invitation toplay by clicking on a “play game” icon displayed in the interactive gameapplication on the second remote client, in a step 540, wherein clickingthe “play game” icon submits a request to the host server to begin aninteractive game session. The host server may then carry out a gamesession, in a step 545, by sending a multiplicity of interactive gameapplication data to each remote client and recording first and seconduser response from the first and second remote clients. The game sessionmay end and the interactive game applications may be closed, in a step550 when a response from either user may be a negative response to asent continue option. In another embodiment an interactive gameapplication may be played by a multiplicity of users using amultiplicity of remote clients, wherein a first user may enter amultiplicity of email addresses or usernames when submitting an inviterequest. Furthermore, the host server may be configured to sendinteractive game application data to the multiplicity of remote clientssimultaneously.

In many embodiments, in accordance with the present invention, aninteractive game application may include an interactive compatibilitygame application. It may be contemplated that the interactivecompatibility game application may assist individuals in obtainingknowledge about a potential dating partner, current dating partner orlife partner. It may be further contemplated that many embodiments mayprovide a fun, safe and non-threatening way to assist individuals indetermining if they may be compatible with another individual. In someembodiments, an interactive compatibility game may be played between atleast two players who each may use a remote client device, such as,without limitation a cell phone, laptop, a desktop personal computer(PC), workstation, personal, digital assistance device (PDA), tablet,phone, or any other device capable of interfacing via an internetbrowser or any other communication network thus, the players do not haveto be in the same location to play the game together.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary interactive compatibilitygame application session, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. Exemplary, without limitation, method steps of theexemplary interactive compatibility game application session will now bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7A through FIG. 7H. Inthe present embodiment, after a first and second user have installed theinteractive compatibility game application on respective first andsecond remote clients, the first user may notify the second user thatthey would like to play the interactive compatibility game application,in a step 605, by entering the second user's name and sending an invitemessage to the second remote client. Next, in a step 610, a second usermay view the invite message on the second remote client, and adetermination may be made whether the second user desires to play thegame with the first user by the second user selecting “play game” or“leave app”. If the selection by the second user is negative (“leaveapp”), the method may end, if the selection by the second user ispositive (“Play game”) processing may proceed to a step 615. In step615, a gaming module of the interactive compatibility game applicationmay simultaneously provide both the first remote client and the secondremote client with an identical list of categories. The identical listof categories may be directed toward particular subjects including, butnot limited to, relationship issues, religion, finances, sex and family.The gaming module may be configured to select which user chooses acategory from the identical list of categories by showing their username on the screen, for example, and without limitation, “Jan doe,select a category”, may be displayed. Furthermore, the gaming module mayalso be configured to alternate the users for category selection suchthat, for illustrative example, and without limitation, if a first usermay have selected a category for a first question round then the seconduser may select a category for a second question round. Once a categorymay be selected from the identical list of categories by one of theusers, the selected category and an identical question pertaining tosubject matter of the selected category, to be answered by the firstuser and second user individually, may be shown to both userssimultaneously by the gaming module in a step 620. The first user andthe second user may select and answer the question individually byselecting one of a multiplicity of provided answer choices. Afteranswers may be selected, the gaming module may forward the answers suchthat, the first user's answer may be provided to the second remoteclient and the second user's answer may be provided to the first remoteclient in a step 625. The gaming module may then provide each remoteclient an advice tip, in a step 630, wherein, the advice tip may bepertaining to the answered question. The advice tip may be relationshipadvice. An example of an advice tip may be, without limitation “Havinggreat sex before marriage is not a guarantee of a great marriage”,wherein the answered question may have been pertaining to sex. In adecision step 635, a determination may be made by a first user and asecond user to continue playing the game. If the determination may benegative by either the first user or the second user, the method mayend. If the determination may be positive by both the first user and thesecond user, step 615 may be accessed and steps 620-635 may be repeated.The users may continue cycling steps 615-635 until they may haveanswered each of the questions in each of the list of categories oruntil the first user, the second user or both users may make adetermination to terminate the game. After all questions are answered bythe users, a summary of the questions and answers may be shown to bothusers for their review. FIG. 7A through FIG. 7H each illustrateexemplary stages of the described game session. FIG. 7A illustrates anexemplary first user 705 starting an interactive game applicationsession 700, in accordance with the present embodiment of the presentinvention, wherein the first user may use a first remote client 710 toaccess the interactive compatibility game application 715. FIG. 7Billustrates an exemplary second remote user 720 responding to anexemplary invite message 725 of the interactive game application sessionembodiment, in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention,using a second remote client 730. FIG. 7C illustrates an exemplary firstand second remote users viewing an exemplary first portion of data 735in an interactive game application session embodiment, in accordancewith the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first portionof data may include an identical category list and a responding useridentification displayed by the first remote client and second remoteclient. FIG. 7D illustrates exemplary first and second remote usersviewing an exemplary second portion of data 740 in an interactive gameapplication session embodiment, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention, wherein the second portion of data may include aselected category and identical questions displayed by the first remoteclient and second remote client. FIG. 7E illustrates an exemplary firstand second remote users viewing exemplary forwarded selections 745 in aninteractive game application session embodiment, in accordance with thepresent embodiment of the present invention, wherein the forwardedselections may include other user answers to a previously displayedquestion. FIG. 7F illustrates an exemplary first and second remote usersviewing an exemplary third portion of data 750 in an interactive gameapplication session embodiment, in accordance with the presentembodiment of the present invention, wherein the third portion of datamay include an advice tip. FIG. 7G illustrates an exemplary first andsecond remote users viewing an exemplary fourth portion of data 755 inan interactive game application session embodiment, in accordance withthe present embodiment of the present invention, wherein a fourthportion may include a continue option. FIG. 7H illustrates an exemplaryfirst and second remote users continuing an exemplary interactive gameapplication session embodiment, in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent invention. Also referring again to FIG.6, and FIG. 7C in thepresent embodiment, when the method cycles back to step 615, a differentuser may be selected as the category selecting user 755 with respect toa previous category selecting user, see FIG. 7C.

It may be contemplated by those skilled in the relevant art, in light ofthe teaching of the present invention, the methods may be adapted forthe purposes other than romantic relationships. For instance, thoseskilled in the art, in light of the teachings of the present inventionwould readily recognize that user looking for suitable businessrelationships, friendships, roommates, caretakers, and etc. may play.

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram depicting an exemplary client/serversystem which may be used by an exemplary web-enabled/networkedembodiment of the present invention.

A communication system 800 includes a multiplicity of clients with asampling of clients denoted as a client 802 and a client 804, amultiplicity of local networks with a sampling of networks denoted as alocal network 806 and a local network 808, a global network 810 and amultiplicity of servers with a sampling of servers denoted as a server812 and a server 814.

Client 802 may communicate bi-directionally with local network 806 via acommunication channel 816. Client 804 may communicate bi-directionallywith local network 808 via a communication channel 818. Local network806 may communicate bi-directionally with global network 810 via acommunication channel 820. Local network 808 may communicatebi-directionally with global network 810 via a communication channel822. Global network 810 may communicate bi-directionally with server 812and server 814 via a communication channel 824. Server 812 and server814 may communicate bi-directionally with each other via communicationchannel 824. Furthermore, clients 802, 804, local networks 806, 808,global network 810 and servers 812, 814 may each communicatebi-directionally with each other.

In one embodiment, global network 810 may operate as the Internet. Itwill be understood by those skilled in the art that communication system800 may take many different forms. Non-limiting examples of forms forcommunication system 800 include local area networks (LANs), wide areanetworks (WANs), wired telephone networks, wireless networks, or anyother network supporting data communication between respective entities.

Clients 802 and 804 may take many different forms. Non-limiting examplesof clients 802 and 804 include personal computers, personal digitalassistants (PDAs), cellular phones and smartphones.

Client 802 includes a CPU 826, a pointing device 828, a keyboard 830, amicrophone 832, a printer 834, a memory 836, a mass memory storage 838,a GUI 840, a video camera 842, an input/output interface 844 and anetwork interface 846.

CPU 826, pointing device 828, keyboard 830, microphone 832, printer 834,memory 836, mass memory storage 838, GUI 840, video camera 842,input/output interface 844 and network interface 846 may communicate ina unidirectional manner or a bi-directional manner with each other via acommunication channel 848. Communication channel 848 may be configuredas a single communication channel or a multiplicity of communicationchannels.

CPU 826 may be comprised of a single processor or multiple processors.CPU 826 may be of various types including micro-controllers (e.g., withembedded RAM/ROM) and microprocessors such as programmable devices(e.g., RISC or SISC based, or CPLDs and FPGAs) and devices not capableof being programmed such as gate array ASICs (Application SpecificIntegrated Circuits) or general purpose microprocessors.

As is well known in the art, memory 836 is used typically to transferdata and instructions to CPU 826 in a bi-directional manner. Memory 836,as discussed previously, may include any suitable computer-readablemedia, intended for data storage, such as those described aboveexcluding any wired or wireless transmissions unless specifically noted.Mass memory storage 838 may also be coupled bi-directionally to CPU 826and provides additional data storage capacity and may include any of thecomputer-readable media described above. Mass memory storage 838 may beused to store programs, data and the like and is typically a secondarystorage medium such as a hard disk. It will be appreciated that theinformation retained within mass memory storage 838, may, in appropriatecases, be incorporated in standard fashion as part of memory 836 asvirtual memory.

CPU 826 may be coupled to GUI 840. GUI 840 enables a user to view theoperation of computer operating system and software. CPU 826 may becoupled to pointing device 828. Non-limiting examples of pointing device828 include computer mouse, trackball and touchpad. Pointing device 828enables a user with the capability to maneuver a computer cursor aboutthe viewing area of GUI 840 and select areas or features in the viewingarea of GUI 840. CPU 826 may be coupled to keyboard 830. Keyboard 830enables a user with the capability to input alphanumeric textualinformation to CPU 826. CPU 826 may be coupled to microphone 832.Microphone 832 enables audio produced by a user to be recorded,processed and communicated by CPU 826. CPU 826 may be connected toprinter 834. Printer 834 enables a user with the capability to printinformation to a sheet of paper. CPU 826 may be connected to videocamera 842. Video camera 842 enables video produced or captured by userto be recorded, processed and communicated by CPU 826.

CPU 826 may also be coupled to input/output interface 844 that connectsto one or more input/output devices such as such as CD-ROM, videomonitors, track balls, mice, keyboards, microphones, touch-sensitivedisplays, transducer card readers, magnetic or paper tape readers,tablets, styluses, voice or handwriting recognizers, or other well-knowninput devices such as, of course, other computers.

Finally, CPU 826 optionally may be coupled to network interface 846which enables communication with an external device such as a databaseor a computer or telecommunications or internet network using anexternal connection shown generally as communication channel 816, whichmay be implemented as a hardwired or wireless communications link usingsuitable conventional technologies. With such a connection, CPU 826might receive information from the network, or might output informationto a network in the course of performing the method steps described inthe teachings of the present invention.

Those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of and inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention, that any of theforegoing steps and/or system modules may be suitably replaced,reordered, removed and additional steps and/or system modules may beinserted depending upon the needs of the particular application, andthat the systems of the foregoing embodiments may be implemented usingany of a wide variety of suitable processes and system modules, and isnot limited to any particular computer hardware, software, middleware,firmware, microcode and the like. For any method steps described in thepresent application that can be carried out on a computing machine, atypical computer system can, when appropriately configured or designed,serve as a computer system in which those aspects of the invention maybe embodied.

It will be further apparent to those skilled in the art that at least aportion of the novel method steps and/or system components of thepresent invention may be practiced and/or located in location(s)possibly outside the jurisdiction of the United States of America (USA),whereby it will be accordingly readily recognized that at least a subsetof the novel method steps and/or system components in the foregoingembodiments must be practiced within the jurisdiction of the USA for thebenefit of an entity therein or to achieve an object of the presentinvention. Thus, some alternate embodiments of the present invention maybe configured to comprise a smaller subset of the foregoing means forand/or steps described that the applications designer will selectivelydecide, depending upon the practical considerations of the particularimplementation, to carry out and/or locate within the jurisdiction ofthe USA. For example, any of the foregoing described method steps and/orsystem components which may be performed remotely over a network (e.g.,without limitation, a remotely located server) may be performed and/orlocated outside of the jurisdiction of the USA while the remainingmethod steps and/or system components (e.g., without limitation, alocally located client) of the forgoing embodiments are typicallyrequired to be located/performed in the USA for practicalconsiderations. In client-server architectures, a remotely locatedserver typically generates and transmits required information to a USbased client, for use according to the teachings of the presentinvention. Depending upon the needs of the particular application, itwill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of theteachings of the present invention, which aspects of the presentinvention can or should be located locally and which can or should belocated remotely. Thus, for any claims construction of the followingclaim limitations that are construed under 35 USC § 112 (6) it isintended that the corresponding means for and/or steps for carrying outthe claimed function are the ones that are locally implemented withinthe jurisdiction of the USA, while the remaining aspect(s) performed orlocated remotely outside the USA are not intended to be construed under35 USC § 112 (6).

It is noted that according to USA law, all claims must be set forth as acoherent, cooperating set of limitations that work in functionalcombination to achieve a useful result as a whole. Accordingly, for anyclaim having functional limitations interpreted under 35 USC § 112 (6)where the embodiment in question is implemented as a client-serversystem with a remote server located outside of the USA, each suchrecited function is intended to mean the function of combining, in alogical manner, the information of that claim limitation with at leastone other limitation of the claim. For example, in client-server systemswhere certain information claimed under 35 USC § 112 (6) is/(are)dependent on one or more remote servers located outside the USA, it isintended that each such recited function under 35 USC § 112 (6) is to beinterpreted as the function of the local system receiving the remotelygenerated information required by a locally implemented claimlimitation, wherein the structures and or steps which enable, and breathlife into the expression of such functions claimed under 35 USC § 112(6) are the corresponding steps and/or means located within thejurisdiction of the USA that receive and deliver that information to theclient (e.g., without limitation, client-side processing andtransmission networks in the USA). When this application is prosecutedor patented under a jurisdiction other than the USA, then “USA” in theforegoing should be replaced with the pertinent country or countries orlegal organization(s) having enforceable patent infringementjurisdiction over the present application, and “35 USC § 112 (6)” shouldbe replaced with the closest corresponding statute in the patent laws ofsuch pertinent country or countries or legal organization(s).

All the features disclosed in this specification, including anyaccompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternativefeatures serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unlessexpressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise,each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series ofequivalent or similar features.

It is noted that according to USA law 35 USC § 112 (1), all claims mustbe supported by sufficient disclosure in the present patentspecification, and any material known to those skilled in the art neednot be explicitly disclosed. However, 35 USC § 112 (6) requires thatstructures corresponding to functional limitations interpreted under 35USC § 112 (6) must be explicitly disclosed in the patent specification.Moreover, the USPTO's Examination policy of initially treating andsearching prior art under the broadest interpretation of a “mean for”claim limitation implies that the broadest initial search on 112(6)functional limitation would have to be conducted to support a legallyvalid Examination on that USPTO policy for broadest interpretation of“mean for” claims. Accordingly, the USPTO will have discovered amultiplicity of prior art documents including disclosure of specificstructures and elements which are suitable to act as correspondingstructures to satisfy all functional limitations in the below claimsthat are interpreted under 35 USC § 112 (6) when such correspondingstructures are not explicitly disclosed in the foregoing patentspecification. Therefore, for any invention element(s)/structure(s)corresponding to functional claim limitation(s), in the below claimsinterpreted under 35 USC § 112 (6), which is/are not explicitlydisclosed in the foregoing patent specification, yet do exist in thepatent and/or non-patent documents found during the course of USPTOsearching, Applicant(s) incorporate all such functionally correspondingstructures and related enabling material herein by reference for thepurpose of providing explicit structures that implement the functionalmeans claimed. Applicant(s) request(s) that fact finders during anyclaims construction proceedings and/or examination of patentallowability properly identify and incorporate only the portions of eachof these documents discovered during the broadest interpretation searchof 35 USC § 112 (6) limitation, which exist in at least one of thepatent and/or non-patent documents found during the course of normalUSPTO searching and or supplied to the USPTO during prosecution.Applicant(s) also incorporate by reference the bibliographic citationinformation to identify all such documents comprising functionallycorresponding structures and related enabling material as listed in anyPTO Form-892 or likewise any information disclosure statements (IDS)entered into the present patent application by the USPTO or Applicant(s)or any 3^(rd) parties. Applicant(s) also reserve its right to lateramend the present application to explicitly include citations to suchdocuments and/or explicitly include the functionally correspondingstructures which were incorporate by reference above.

Thus, for any invention element(s)/structure(s) corresponding tofunctional claim limitation(s), in the below claims, that areinterpreted under 35 USC § 112 (6), which is/are not explicitlydisclosed in the foregoing patent specification, Applicant(s) haveexplicitly prescribed which documents and material to include theotherwise missing disclosure, and have prescribed exactly which portionsof such patent and/or non-patent documents should be incorporated bysuch reference for the purpose of satisfying the disclosure requirementsof 35 USC § 112 (6). Applicant(s) note that all the identified documentsabove which are incorporated by reference to satisfy 35 USC § 112 (6)necessarily have a filing and/or publication date prior to that of theinstant application, and thus are valid prior documents to incorporatedby reference in the instant application.

Having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention,other equivalent or alternative methods of implementing an interactivegame application according to the present invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Various aspects of the invention have beendescribed above by way of illustration, and the specific embodimentsdisclosed are not intended to limit the invention to the particularforms disclosed. The particular implementation of the interactive gameapplication may vary depending upon the particular context orapplication. By way of example, and not limitation, the interactive gameapplication described in the foregoing were principally directed tousers using an game application for romantic relationship potentialimplementations; however, similar techniques may instead be applied toemployers seeking for employees, landlords, home owners, and rentersseeking roommates, parents seeking babysitters, or essentially anyperson seeking a particular beneficial relationship with another whereinvetting may be desired, which implementations of the present inventionare contemplated as within the scope of the present invention. Theinvention is thus to cover all modifications, equivalents, andalternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the followingclaims. It is to be further understood that not all of the disclosedembodiments in the foregoing specification will necessarily satisfy orachieve each of the objects, advantages, or improvements described inthe foregoing specification.

Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or letteredsolely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numberingand lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken toindicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. Section 1.72(b)requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to ascertain the natureand gist of the technical disclosure. That is, the Abstract is providedmerely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify any key oressential features of the claimed subject matter. It is submitted withthe understanding that it will not be used to limit or interpret thescope or meaning of the claims.

The following claims are hereby incorporated into the detaileddescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: requesting, by a firstremote client, a webpage address of an interactive compatibility gameapplication from a host server, and wherein said host server is inoperable communication with said webpage; executing, by said firstremote client, a computer-readable instruction to cause a graphical userinterface of said first remote client to display said webpage of saidinteractive game application; requesting, by said first remote client,an interactive game application software for downloading via saidwebpage; executing, by said first remote client, said interactive gameapplication software to install an interactive game application data;launching or executing, by said first remote client, an interactive gameapplication, said interactive game application comprises saidinteractive compatibility game application, wherein said interactivecompatibility game application is configured to assist users inobtaining knowledge about a potential dating partner, a current datingpartner, or a life partner; submitting, with said interactive gameapplication, a first user information and a registration request to saidhost server; sending, with said interactive game application, a sign-inrequest to play to said host server, wherein said sign-in request toplay includes submitting a current location; submitting, by said firstremote client, with said interactive game application, an invite requestand a second user information to said host server, wherein said hostserver verifies a match between said second user information and apreviously stored registration information, and wherein said host serversends a first portion of said interactive game application data to saidfirst remote client and a second remote client of said second userinformation if a match has been found; displaying said first portion ofsaid interactive game application data; entering and sending, with oneof said first remote client and second remote client, a feedback to saidhost server with said first portion of said interactive gameapplication, wherein one of said remote clients do not have the abilityto send a response, and wherein said host server sends a second portionof said interactive game application data to said first remote clientand second remote client in response to receiving said feedback;displaying said second portion of said interactive game applicationdata; sending, with said second portion of said interactive gameapplication, a selection to said host server, wherein both of said firstremote client and said second remote client sends a selection to saidhost server, and wherein said host server sends a third portion of saidinteractive game application data to said first remote client and secondremote client in response to receiving said selection from said firstremote client and said second remote client; displaying said thirdportion of said interactive game application data; displaying saidfourth portion of said interactive game application data; and choosingat said fourth portion of said interactive game application data, by atleast one or both of said first and second remote client, with saidfourth portion of said interactive game application data, at least oneof, a positive approval and a negative approval, in response toreceiving said continue option.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein if amatch has been found in said verification process between said seconduser information and a previously stored registration information, agaming module is configured to send a play option message to said secondremote client, using said first user information and said second userinformation.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said gaming module isfurther configured to choose said remote client who sent said inviterequest to respond in said first portion of said interactive gameapplication data.
 4. The method of claim 2,wherein said gaming module isfurther configured to choose said remote client that receive said inviterequest to respond in said first portion of said interactive gameapplication data.
 5. The method of claim 2,wherein said gaming module isfurther configured to alternate said remote clients to respond in saidfirst portion of said interactive game application data.
 6. The methodof claim 5, further comprising submitting, with said fourth portion ofsaid interactive game application, a positive approval to said hostserver.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said third portion of saidinteractive game application data comprises a compatibility percentagebased on an accumulation of responses by said first and second remoteclients that are the same.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein at leastone of said first and second remote client is randomly designated as anon-responding remote client, and wherein said non-responding remoteclient does not have the ability to submit a response to said hostserver.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said host server presents tosaid responding remote client, in said first portion of said interactivegame application, a request to provide an open message, said openmessage comprises a question and corresponding multiple choice answersthat said host server sends as a part of said second portion of saidinteractive application data.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein saidthird portion of said interactive game application data is configured toallow said first and second remote client to view said third portion ofsaid interactive game application data.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein said fourth portion of interactive game application data isconfigured to allow said first remote client and said second remoteclient to send at least one of said positive approval and negativeapproval, to said host server.
 12. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising presenting a list of registered users information including,at least one of, a current location, a residence location, and a picturein said first remote client.
 13. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising selecting a registered user from said list of registeredusers, to send an invite to, via said host server.
 14. The method ofclaim 13, wherein said first portion of said interactive gameapplication data is configured to allow only said selecting remoteclient as a responding remote client to send a response to said hostserver.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said responding remoteclient to said first portion of interactive game application data maychange in a following round if said first remote client and secondremote client responses to said second portion of interactive gameapplication are different.
 16. A method comprising: requesting, with afirst means for playing an interactive compatibility game, a webpageaddress from a game facilitating means; requesting, by said first meansfor playing a game, an interactive game application software fordownloading via said webpage; launching or executing, with saidinteractive game application software, an interactive game application,said interactive game application comprises said interactivecompatibility game; submitting, by said first means for playing a game,with said interactive game application, a first user information and aregistration request to said game facilitating means; sending, by saidfirst means for playing a game, with said interactive game application,a sign-in request to play, to said game facilitating means; submitting,by said first means for playing a game, with said interactive gameapplication, an invite request and a second user information of a secondmeans for playing a game to said game facilitating means; wherein saidgame facilitating means sends a first portion of said interactive gameapplication data to said first means for playing a game and said secondmeans for playing a game; displaying said first portion of saidinteractive game application data; entering and sending, with said firstportion of said interactive game application, a feedback to said gamefacilitating means, wherein one of said first and second means forplaying a game do not have the ability to send a feedback, and whereinsaid game facilitating means sends a second portion of said interactivegame application data to said first means for playing a game and saidsecond means for playing a game; displaying said second portion of saidinteractive game application data; sending, with said second portion ofsaid interactive game application, a selection to said game facilitatingmeans, wherein both of said first means for playing a game and saidsecond means for playing a game sends a selection to said gamefacilitating means, and wherein said game facilitating means sends athird portion of said interactive game application data to said firstremote client and second remote client in response to receiving saidselection from said first means for playing a game and said second meansfor playing a game; displaying said third portion of said interactivegame application data; wherein said game facilitating means sends afourth portion of said interactive game application data including acontinue option to said first and second means for playing said game;displaying said fourth portion of said interactive game applicationdata; choosing at said fourth portion of said interactive gameapplication data, with at least one or both of said first and secondmeans for playing said game, at least one of, a positive approval and anegative approval, in response to receiving said continue option. 17.The method of claim 16, further comprising: receiving, with saidinteractive game application, said first portion of said interactivegame application data; and sending, with said interactive gameapplication, a response to said first portion of said interactive gameapplication data.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:receiving, with said interactive game application, said second portionof said interactive game application data; and sending, with saidinteractive game application, a response to said second portion of saidinteractive game application data.
 19. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising: receiving, with said interactive game application, saidthird portion of said interactive game application data; and viewing,with said interactive game application, responses to said third portionof said interactive game application data.
 20. A system comprising:means for facilitating an interactive compatibility game application;means for playing said game, in which said playing means is a firstmeans for playing said game, wherein said first playing means isconfigured to; request a webpage address from said game applicationfacilitating means; execute a computer-readable instruction to cause agraphical user interface of said first playing means to display awebpage of an interactive game application; request an interactive gameapplication software for downloading via said webpage; execute acomputer-readable instruction to install an interactive game applicationdata; submit, with said interactive game application, a first userinformation and a registration request to said game applicationfacilitating means; send, with said interactive game application, asign-in request to play said game with a second means for playing saidgame; submit, with said interactive game application, an invite requestand a second user information to said game application facilitatingmeans, wherein said game application facilitating means is configured tosend a first portion of said interactive game application data to saidfirst playing means and second playing means; visually present saidfirst portion of said interactive game application data; enter and senda response, with said first portion of said interactive gameapplication, to said game application facilitating means, said responsecomprises a feedback, wherein one of said first and second means forplaying said game do not have the ability to send a feedback, andwherein said game application facilitating means is configured to send asecond portion of said interactive game application data to said firstplaying means and second playing means; visually present said secondportion of said interactive game application data; send a selection,with said second portion of said interactive game application, to saidgame application facilitating means, wherein both of said first meansfor playing said game and said second means for playing said game sendsa selection to said game facilitating means, and wherein said gameapplication facilitating means is configured to send a third portion ofsaid interactive game application data to said first remote client andsecond playing means in response to receiving said selection from saidfirst means for playing said game and said second means for playing saidgame; display, with said interactive game application, said thirdportion of said interactive game application data, wherein said thirdportion of said interactive game application data do not allow eithersaid first or second means for playing said game to enter or send aresponse to said game facilitating means, and wherein said gameapplication facilitating means is configured to send a fourth portion ofsaid interactive game application data including a continue option tosaid first remote client and second playing means; display said fourthportion of said interactive game application data; choose, at saidfourth portion of said interactive game application data, at least oneof, a positive approval and a negative approval, in response toreceiving said continue option.